After Office Hours
by xSummonerYunax
Summary: What happens after office hours at the Wright & Co. ? Phoenix
1. After Office Hours

**After Office Hours**

- - -

"Maya, we're done for the day. Could you flip the sign, please?"

Maya nodded while yawning. Detective work started to catch up once more as Phoenix received another case on his hands that were just itching to solve cases since the past few weeks have been nothing short of boredom. But now that all the work have been piling up on the lawyer, she wasn't so sure if Phoenix was so pleased anymore. He had dark circles beneath his eyes from the lack of sleep and no amount of coffee she had offered him seemed to help with his fatigue. She tossed a glance in his direction and watched as he swept his hands across his long spikes in a seemingly combination of both frustration and exhaustion. He rested his elbows on his desk and groaned into his palms with scattered papers and evidences thrown haphazardly across the tabletop. It was a busy day indeed.

Maya flipped the 'Open' side around so that the clients who had no idea how much effort and dedication Phoenix placed into his job could acknowledge 'Closed'. Dimming the lights in the corner, she moved in small and quiet steps towards the tired lawyer. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she tugged gently, half making sure that he had not passed out and half just bugging him the way she did everyday. Well, never intentionally anyway, sort of. Sometimes she liked annoying him for fun, but never when he was truly distressed, like tonight.

"Thanks Maya," Phoenix groaned, trying to rub the sleep out his eyes as he took in the comfort of the dimmed lights. He could go to sleep right now if only he-

"Nick? You okay?" Maya whispered lightly, somewhat scared to break the peace that lingered in the office. As soon as the sign was flipped and the lights became faint, the atmosphere was transformed from a hectic one to one that was tranquil but loomed with anxiety, tension, and pressure for no one knew what new trouble tomorrow may bring. At that moment, Pearl walked into the office with her precious blue ball in her tiny hands. With wide eyes, she glanced up at Phoenix with a concern look that rivaled his assistant's.

"Mystic Maya? Is Nick alright?" the little girl asked, detecting that Phoenix was not his usual self.

The trio was almost like a real family since they were always so close-knit to each other. After the death of Mia, Phoenix saw that it was his responsibility to look after his assistant and they have been established as an amazing team ever since then, always supporting each other in every way possible. They had their little arguments here and there but it was never anything serious. He could always count on Maya to lighten the mood when he became too cynical and he was always there for her whenever she was about to lose some marbles. All in all, they were there for each other. They had no other family to go home to and when little Pearl came along, Phoenix couldn't help but take in the little girl under his guard. Pearl was just too adorable and plus she had nowhere and no one else to turn to ever since she left the village and her mother was no longer around for her because of what she sacrificed for her daughter, which was completely stupid in Phoenix's book. But overall, he couldn't be happier than where he was now.

"Aww, I certainly hope so. He does seem out of it…" Maya extended her index finger and gently poked the back of Phoenix's head. When she got no response, she prodded him a couple of more times before Phoenix lifted his head and knit his brows together in slight annoyance. "Yay! He's awake!"

"Yay!" Pearl cheered as well. "So what would you like to eat for dinner tonight Mr. Nick?" the spirit medium asked sweetly with her ball tucked beneath her small chin.

"Hm…I'm not too sure. I'm not really hungry. How about I just give Maya some money and she can run to the diner down the block to get some burgers?" Phoenix suggested dryly as he reached into his suit pocket for his wallet. There was still an ample amount of work that needed to be done and food was honestly the last thing on his mind. "Afterwards, you guys can just go upstairs to the apartment and relax. How does that sounds, Pearls?" He forced a small smile for the girl's sake.

"What?" Maya objected rather loudly and in surprise. "But Niiiicckk!" she whined. "We hardly just do take-ins. We always have fun cooking or going out to eat! You know we all look forward to that because it's so fun and it's a great way to end such a tiring day! We're closed!! Y'know! The sign outside reads C-L-O-S-E-D! That means we're supposed to be off duty too and relax a little!"

"Not tonight, Maya…" the lawyer spoke patiently. "I just have way too much work on my hands." He watched as his assistant's eyes widened and her jaw dropped to the point where Phoenix thought it might literally hit the ground.

"What do you mean not tonight? We do this every night! It's tradition. I can't even recall the last time when we all just ordered in because we were too lazy to do our own cooking or go out and have fun!"

Phoenix smiled sheepishly. "Well, I kind of have to remind you that you do most of the cooking. You know very well I have no culinary skills."

"Yes!! But you were still there to support me!" Maya argued.

"And not to mention, you always like to throw food at Mystic Maya when she's not looking!" Pearl chimed in.

Phoenix sighed in defeat. It didn't look like he was going to win this argument. Placing the wallet back into his pocket, he threw his hands up in exasperation. "Okay okay. How about this? Why don't Maya do the cooking tonight and you can help her, Pearls? How does that sound to you two?"

"But Niiiccck!! It won't be the same without you!" Maya shook her head and placed her hands on her hips with a small scowl on her sweet face.

"I'm sorry, but there's just too much work that needs to be done tonight, Maya," Phoenix tried to reason, hoping that she would understand where he was coming from. He shuddered from just staring at the work piled on his desk. If he was going to be anywhere near done with this case soon, he needed to give a hundred and ten percent of his attention to it.

His assistant, being the persistent and stubborn girl that she was, refused to give in. Instead, she tried another tactic. "Awww…Niiicckkk..please…" she begged softly, her previous angry features softening into a sad pout as she tried to make her voice as pitiful as possible. There was no way he could resist that.

"No." His answer was simple and terse.

Well, he never resist that BEFORE anyway.

Maya, slightly taken back but still being the stubborn person she always was and is, tried again. "But you have been working all day! Don't you think it's about time you took a break? We were walking all around today trying to gather evidence!"

Phoenix resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was tired, frustrated, and he wanted sleep more than anything, but his work right now took precedence over everything. "Yes I know, and now we have to finally do something about the evidence we found. We have to somehow connect them." He couldn't sacrifice what little time he had left in the remainder of twenty-four hours for anything, especially not for something as trivial as making dinner and goofing off with Maya in the kitchen. That was when he had no work to do, but this was too important. Someone's freedom was at stake here! Sometimes Maya was a little dense, but surely she understood the importance of these cases, right?

"I know that, but you really look like you could take a break! What good will it do you if you just sit here trying to put everything together if you don't even have the energy or concentration to do so?" Maya argued boldly with concern prevailing in her voice, though she wasn't too sure if the lawyer could even stay awake to realize it. "Pearly and I are worried about you! You barely left the desk since we got back here around noon! Don't you think it's about time you take a break?"

"Maya…do you realize how important this is? You should know out of everyone! You've been with me on a lot of cases and you know how desperate some of the victims are, right?" Phoenix countered in the most collected voice he could muster.

"Yes, but…-"

"No buts, Maya. There's not much time left and for some reason, I am having a very difficult time piecing everything together."

"But I have faith in you, Nick! You know you always save the day in the nick of time!" Maya smiled widely, amused by her own little joke. "Get it…Nick of time…"

"……"

Pearl let out a small giggle but instantly shut her mouth and hid her face behind her ball when she saw Phoenix's cold hard glare.

"Aw, come on! Nick! Don't be such a party pooper!! You look so glum and miserable!" Maya's dark wide eyes wandered to the poster placed right behind Phoenix's chair. It was a poster of the Steel Samurai, the one Phoenix so graciously allowed her to stick it up in the room despite the fact it made the office look less professional with all the large tomes surrounding it. "I know!" She clapped her hands together. "Why don't we go watch an episode of the Steel Samurai? I have an episode recorded from last week! It's the one you never got a chance to see because you fell asleep so I decided to record it for you!"

'That's very nice of you, Maya but-"

"Come on, Nick!! You can't even concentrate on your work because you're so tired! You're gonna get sick like that!" Maya grabbed his arm with both her hands and attempted to tug him out of his chair, but it was not working no matter how much strength she exerted. She wished that at that moment she had the strength of someone…say, Gumshoe so she could just yank him out of his seat in one fluid motion and maybe toss him on her back and FORCE him upstairs. Unfortunately, being a spirit medium does not quite give you that ability…

_The REASON why I cannot concentrate right now is because you're bugging me, Maya… _Ignoring her protest, the lawyer pulled his arm away from her grasp and picked up his pen from his desk, preparing to scribble some more notes. "I would love to, but there's just too much that needs to be done. Why don't you go with Pearl?"

Pearl blinked a few times in surprise. He had always addressed her as 'Pearls' because he had always thought it was cute and playful. Hearing him say 'Pearl' was awkward and foreign. Perhaps Mystic Maya was truly going too far. "Mystic Ma-"

"But Pearly and I already watched that episode! I was hoping you'd want to see it with me! Come on, Nick!!"

"……"

"Niiiiiiiccckkkk! It'd be fun! Just a small break and then you can get right back to your work! Where's the harm in that?"

"……"

"Niiiiiccckkk!!"

"……" She was really trying his patience. All he could hear in his head was a distorted faraway voice of Maya whining to him, which was becoming extremely aggravating with each passing moment…

"Niiii-"

"ENOUGH!" Phoenix snapped harshly, his voice cold as steel. He flicked the pen into the air and all three people in the room watched it land back on the desktop with a loud thud that resonated across the silent room save for Phoenix's gruff breathing and the sound of Pearl's ball bouncing away from her. The little spirit medium dropped it in shock for she never expected Mystic Maya's lover to raise his voice at the older girl.

Realizing that she had probably driven him over the edge of his patience, Maya bowed her head apologetically, her long thick bangs cascading over her eyes, shielding away the emotions and regret that harbored deep within her sparkling depths. "I'm sorry, Nick. I-"

"Just shut up-"

It was too late. He couldn't catch himself before he let those words roll off his lips so easily and carelessly without ever thinking what consequences they would bring. His heart became heavy as it pounded against his chest, threatening to burst with each passing beat. The sound of his thundering heart filled his ears and he felt like he was going to drown in his own fear and regret. His hands trembled slightly and he felt numb all over. Everything seemed so surreal to him. He felt like he was frozen in time as each second transpired. He could see Pearl's eyes watering and the corner of her mouth slightly parted as she let out small sobs, but for some reason Phoenix couldn't hear that. The only thing that filled his ears and head was the sound of his heart trying to leap out and consume him. He hesitantly turned his head towards Maya and found that she hadn't flinched at all and wondered if she was frozen just like him. Her long black locks of hair fell over her shoulders, shrouding almost all of her face and emotions in pitch darkness, but in the midst of the shadows, Phoenix saw trails of bright teardrops making their journey down her face until they made small splashes against the shiny surface of his desktop. His throat was dry and coarse, but he forced himself to say something, anything to stop the continuous flow of her tears.

"Ma…Ma-ya…I'm so…sorry." This time it was his turn to apologize. The pounding of his heart hit a critical peak before slowly reclining to its original tempo as he watched Maya slowly lift her head, the bangs and long locks of hair departing from her face like curtains being reeled back to reveal the next unknown. He held his breath and waited for her reaction in agonizing anticipation, feeling slightly hopeful that she would consider his apology. After all, he hadn't meant it like that all. It was just by impulse and circumstance, not his choice. He could never…no, he would never intentionally hurt her.

He never did get the chance to see her face. Just as he was about to catch a glimpse of the remnants of her usual happy and spirited self, she hastily turned her back towards him and bolted for the front door. In a flash, a streak of pink and purple blazed before his eyes and then disappeared as quickly as he had witnessed it.

And then all he was left with was the sound of the 'Open/Closed' sign rustling against the pane of glass, the letters O-P-E-N mocking him, daring him to go back to his work.

- - -

To be continued…


	2. The Search Begins

**The Search Begins**

- - -

Phoenix remained frozen in his seat with his jaw wide open in complete shock. His mind was racing but no concrete thoughts were forming. He sat there in absolute silence even though his mind was screaming at him to move his body to run after Maya. However, he just couldn't snap out his trance as much as he wanted to. What had just transpired did not register in him and the sight of Maya fleeing from his office felt like a bad dream escaping, but somewhere deep down he knew that if he were to wake up, the reality would be that his assistant would not be with him. She was hurt and he had caused her pain with his very own harsh words. Images of her bolting out his office door kept playing over and over in his head until there was no denying that what had just occurred was indeed real. It was no bad dream.

The sound of the Open/Closed sign finally stopped rattling after what seemed like an eternity though the light rustles still reverberated in his head, reminding him that he was the very sole reason why Maya Fey had ran out without even so much as a glance back or any final words. He would have preferred that. He wanted her to yell at him with every bit of anger and pain coursing throughout her body because he was to be blamed for it, every last bit of it. He wanted her to rip the papers on his desk and then slap him really hard across the face to knock some sense into him. At least that way, he wouldn't have felt this guilty for what he had done. But no, Maya would never have done that. She was too sweet, too gentle, and too sensitive. He should have known better.

Suddenly, his ears were no longer surrounded by the daunting sound of the rattling sign as it fell back into its still place against the door. However, his ears were filled with a new sound; it was one that made his heart churn with regret and ache. Pearl's soft cries echoed throughout the quiet office, soft at first, but eventually elevating to a shattering crescendo, which finally knocked Phoenix out of his paralyzed state.

"Mystic…Maya! She's gone!" Pearl wailed with her small hands balled into tight fists, wiping her eyes to no avail. The tears continued to roll down her small chubby face as she stared at the man who was responsible for this horrible ordeal, expecting him to do something. "Mr. Nick! Aren't you going to go after her??"

"Pearls…" Phoenix whispered softly. He closed his eyes to reflect once more on what had occurred just to make sure that he was truly living this nightmare in reality. The same images of Maya running out of his office kept playing in his head and the sound of Pearl's cries confirmed once again that he had screwed up badly this time. As his dark eyes snapped open, a look of determination quickly replaced the defeated one, and the similar adrenaline rush he usually got when he was one step closer to proving his client's innocence came rushing to him in full bloom. He got out of his seat and in one fluid motion, he scooped Pearl into his arms and dashed out his office door.

With long strides, he made his way down the hall, hoping to run into someone who might have seen Maya's disappearance, but the corridors were empty.

_Everyone must have left already… _he thought as he continued searching for people in sight. _Dammit!_

"Hold on to me tightly, Pearls! I'm going to go as fast as I can down the stairs, ok?"

Pearl nodded and wrapped her arms as tight as she could around the lawyer's neck. She calmed down a bit, feeling just a little relieved that Phoenix was taking some action. "Mr. Nick! We're going to find her, right?"

"Yes, Pearls. We are," he answered back as he dashed down the steep stairs, trying his best not to trip. Being cautious of not falling over his own feet while making haste and holding a child in his arms proved to be a difficult task when his own anxiety kept distracting him. "Look Pearls, we're almost at the entrance of the building! I'm sure the security guard would know which direction Maya headed off to!"

Unfortunately, he spoke too soon. Just as he turned at the corner into the main lobby of the building, he found the security officer nodding off at his desk. His eyes were barely open and Phoenix could have sworn he heard him snore.

Slapping a firm palm onto the surface of the officer's desk, it took all the fibers in Phoenix's body to resist the urge to punch the guard. _How can he be dozing off like this!? Note to self: Deduct his salary for this month! _"HEY! YOU THERE! WAKE UP!"

"Huh? Yesss- SIR!" The guard stammered as his head immediately jolted upwards and his body sprung up ramrod.

"Are you sleeping on the job!?" Phoenix demanded angrily.

The guard, who had never seen Phoenix this furious before, was taken back and Phoenix could understand his reaction. Normally, they got along extremely well, but tonight was not a good night. His carelessness would result in many consequences.

Before the security officer could even say something to defend himself, Phoenix brusquely interrupted, "Did you see a young woman run out of here just now!?"

"I-I'm sorry! I don't think I have…"

"Are you sure!? This is very important!! Why were you not paying attention!?" Phoenix could feel his anger becoming dangerously close to swallowing him and his rationality up. "I need to know NOW!"

"Sir, I-I'm sorry! I don't know what's go-going on!" The guard cowered so far back into his seat that he nearly fell off. Something was definitely ticking the lawyer off and he silently reprimanded himself for slacking off tonight.

"Nick!" Pearl tried to reason. "We know Maya must have run out of the building! Let's go!"

Shooting the guard a cold glare, Phoenix dashed for the front doors of the building but halted in his steps when he felt a strong gust of wind surrounding the air, blowing dust and rubbles into his eyes. "Pearls, turn around!" he commanded as he forced the child's head into his shoulder to shield her from the wind. The sound of roaring thunder followed immediately as the black sky released its fury upon the life beneath it. Small droplets of rain instantly turned into sharp pricks pelting from the heavens as shadowy clouds swarmed over the moonlight, darkening the night with their movements. The warmth in the air was gone as a frigid breeze swept through Phoenix's hair, ruffling his stubborn spikes and sending cold chills down his body even though he was rather thickly clad. The child in his arms shivered uncontrollably, being that she was much less clothed than he was.

"Pearls? You okay!?" He rubbed her back up and down in quick motions in an attempt to bring some heat to her small form.

"Y-yes! We must go look for Mystic Maya!" She tried her hardest to stop her body from trembling, or at least she was going to pretend that she was all right. It was the only way Phoenix was going to continue his search. "I'm f-f-ine!"

Phoenix could tell the child was clearly lying. With a heavy sigh, he closed the door in front of him and turned around, heading back into the lobby with a great sense of longing to continue to pursue his search for Maya. However, his rational side told him that doing so was definitely out of the question. It was a struggle between running after his assistant in the storm with a helpless Pearl or keeping the child safe indoors while finding other means to contact Maya. He just couldn't neglect Pearl at the moment, and he couldn't trust her with anyone in the building, especially not the security officer who had fallen asleep on duty. His logical side won out in the end, and he knew he had made the right choice. He was a lawyer after all, right?

"Mr. Nick! What are you doing?"

"Sorry Pearls, but I can't leave you here by yourself. There's no one here I can trust enough to watch over you if I head out to find Maya." He glared at the guard and made sure to put extra emphasize on his words as he walked past the main desk and made his way up the stairs again.

"Don't worry, Mr. Nick! I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself!" Pearl argued with eyes wide with stubbornness.

"Pearls, I'm staying with you and we're going to find another way to reach Maya. End of discussion," he stated firmly. He was in no mood to argue and he inwardly prayed that Pearl was at least somewhat mature enough to understand why he couldn't abandon her like that. She was quite a smart child for her age after all.

It seemed like she had no choice but to trust the older man's words. She had seen him help Maya and many other people in the past, and right now she would just have to have faith that he knew what he was doing. "Okay…you just do whatever you need to do to find Maya again."

Phoenix let out a sigh of relief. At least it didn't look like she was going to give him a hard time. "Thanks. You bet I will."

Phoenix did not expect his office to look as if it had been caught in the middle of a whirlwind during the few minutes he had left. Papers and files were strewn all over the floor and his garbage can was overturned with more trash spilling out, eventually being carried off by the brisk wind seeping through the gap of his window that he must have forgotten to close. He had not been expecting a storm. Maya was usually the one who was up to date with the weather, always reminding him to carry an umbrella or dress heavier or lighter according to the weather. Being the indifferent person he was when it came to clothing, he never bothered taking her advice and always walked out in his dark blue suit, whether it was in the rain or shine. Maybe he should have paid more attention to what she said, especially to the more insignificant chit-chats. After all, little things do accumulate and will matter in the end, right?

Setting Pearl back down on her feet, he quickly ran to the window and closed it tightly. It was going to take him awhile to clean up his office, but that was the least of his worries. He had much more important issues to tend to. The only problem was that he did not even know where to start. He glanced at the phone sitting on his desk and a slightly hopeful thought occurred to him. Maybe Maya called and left a message for him, telling him her whereabouts. She was probably too angry to come back to the office, but all he wanted right now was to know that she was okay. Maybe, just maybe, she thought things over, cooled down a bit, and called his office just as he left with Pearl to find her. He picked up the phone and checked the last few incoming messages, but with his rotten luck, the only messages he received were from debt collectors. Unfortunately, he was still paying off loans from law school.

"Damn, nothing." He shoved the phone back into its socket in annoyance. "Think think think, Phoenix!"

"Nick! The Steel Samurai poster is falling!!" Pearl gasped, rushing to catch the poster before it fell to the ground.

"Oh! Let me help you with that." He caught the poster just before it landed on Pearl and stuck it back to its original position on the wall. "The wind must have knocked it over." Phoenix couldn't help resisting a small grin as he stared at the poster. He never was too keen on leaving it in the office. It just wasn't very professional, but now that he was staring at it, the colors and conceptual art work of the samurai did seem kind of…cool.

_Did I just think that this picture was…cool? I must be losing my mind. Yes, that's it. _

"Mystic Maya gave that to you, didn't she?" Pearl asked curiously, although she already knew the answer to her question.

"Yes, yes she did."

"Was it a present?" Pearl asked slyly with a mischievous smile.

"Huh? What do you mean, Pearls?"

"Was it a present to you because you're her lover, Mr. Nick?"

"WHAT?" Phoenix's eyes bulged, but he wasn't sure why he was so surprised to hear that coming out of Pearl's mouth tonight. This wasn't the first time she had mentioned a romantic interest between him and Maya, but the usual playful tug that played upon Pearl's lips whenever she hinted a connection between and Maya wasn't there tonight.

"I'm serious, Mr. Nick! I really want to know the truth!" Her mischievous smile faded into a serious one and her eyes shined with anticipation as she waited for an answer.

"Umm…honestly, Maya just decided to hang it up there one day. Urk, I don't know what else to say…" He didn't even realize that he was moving so far back that he almost bumped into the poster, almost knocking it over for the second time that night. The way Pearl's eyes gazed deep into his own made him extremely edgy. It was almost as if she was searching for something that he wasn't aware of.

"Aw, Mr. Nick!" Pearl gushed wildly. "You look so cute when your ears are all red!"

"WHAT!?" _My ears are so not red! _"Umm…how about we just focus on finding Maya for now. What do you say?" he quickly changed the subject. Not only was he starting to feel embarrassed, but he was also feeling slightly uncomfortable at the same time. The way Pearl was staring at him was really starting to make him nervous and the worst part of it all was that he couldn't understand why. Picking up the phone again, he dialed some numbers and waited impatiently for the person on the other end to pick up. He tapped his foot eagerly as rings after rings went by with no one picking up. _Come on come on! _

"Hello?" A scruffy voice on the other line finally replied.

"Gumshoe! It's me, Phoenix!" he yelled into the receiver almost breathlessly.

"Hey pal, what's up?"

"Um..I kinda have an emergency. I need you to come down to my law office right away if you can."

"Look pal, I can't disclose anymore information regarding your case if that's what you-"

"No no! This has nothing to do with my case. It's Maya."

"What!?"

Phoenix knew the detective had a soft spot for the young spirit medium, and from the concern in his voice, he prayed that it was enough to get Gumshoe to come down to him as soon as possible. "Maya. She disappeared."

"What do you mean she disappeared!?"

"It's a long story and I'll explain later. She ran off and I'm really worried about her. Please! Can you come here as soon as possible?"

"Wow! You really are worried about her, aren't you?"

"Isn't that what I just said?" Phoenix snapped.

"Whoa, calm down clam down! I'm on my way!"

"Oh! Before you come down, do you think you can dispatch some police officers and form a search party around town? I know you'd be breaking some rules, but do you think you bend them for me, please? As a personal favor? I-I messed up big time tonight."

Hearing a sense of sadness in the lawyer's voice, Gumshoe sighed heavily, knowing that he could very well be penalized for what he was about to do. "Alright man. I'll see what I can do."

"Really? Thank you so much! I really owe you one, Gumshoe!" For the first time after Maya's disappearance, he felt like he could breathe a little easier. But just a little.

After hanging up, Phoenix made his way towards the window and watched the downpour raiding the streets beneath his office. Thunder clapped against his ears as flashes of lightning brightly illuminated the town for a split second before bringing it back to darkness again. Even through the closed window he could still feel the chilly breeze against the pane. He felt something wrap against his left leg as soon as another roll of thunder roared throughout the sky. He looked down and found Pearl hugging his leg in terror. "Don't worry Pearls, it'll all be over soon."

He patted the child gently on the head and resumed his speculation of the town below, thinking that Maya could be roaming anywhere by now in the storm. A swarm of questions came to his mind. What if she was hurt? What if she was attacked? The streets aren't safe at this time of the night, especially for an attractive young female. What if she was cold? What if she was hungry? Could she live without food for an entire evening? She didn't carry any money with her, did she? Where did she go? Was she going to return in a few hours?

All these questions with no answers. _Maya, just please be okay._

He hated feeling helpless like this, but there really wasn't anything he could do at the moment. All he could do was hope that the police had already begun their search for her, and in the meantime, he could only wait for Gumshoe's arrival so they can plan their next move from there. Turning his attention back to the window, he caught something in his reflection that made him jump with bewilderment.

_My ears ARE red!!_

--

To be continued…

--

A/N: I've decided to expand the fic by trying to add in more character development, interactions, and plot. We'll see how it goes from there. Thanks for all the reviews guys! And most importantly, thank you for taking the time to read my works! It really means a lot to me! Until next time


	3. Encounter

**Encounter**

- - -

"Gee, I never realized that the streets here in the middle of the night could look so…daunting," Maya whispered to herself while pulling her sweater closer to her body for warmth. When another harsh wave of cold wind buffeted her, she suddenly regretted making the irrational decision of running off so hastily. She silently chided herself for not grabbing a jacket on her way out. At least then she could have been lost but warm. But, she did feel slightly blessed for the rain had just stopped, and she was so very grateful for that. She was soaking wet from the previous thunderstorm, but as long as she found some short of shelter soon, she should be okay.

The night became foggy and the streetlights' auras could not withstand the gray mists clouding them. The winding roads ahead of the spirit medium were dark and long, causing her wary outlook to increase tenfold. She instantly froze; her back became ramrod straight when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. They were soft but audible, and with each passing step, the sound of heels clicking against the pavement grew louder and louder. Maya tried to scream when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, but her mouth was covered before she could even budge her lips. Maya could feel her heart pounding rapidly against her chest and beads of swear rolling down her back and forehead as she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the worst to occur. _This is it! This is when I get mugged or kidnapped or…_

However, to her surprise, a smooth feminine voice whispered into her ear. "Calm down, it's me." The stranger released her hand from Maya's mouth.

Spinning around, Maya's eyes widened when she saw that the person behind her was none other than Franziska von Karma. The beautiful young prosecutor was adorned in a sleek black coat. Her ashy blue hair appeared to blend in with the mist around her, and her ever so confident smirk appeared more prominent than ever. With a sneer, she said in a low husky voice, "Well, if it isn't Maya."

"von Karma." Maya's brows drew in suspicion. She pulled back a few steps until Franziska's hand slipped off her shoulder. Although she did not want to admit it, Maya was inwardly releasing a huge sigh of relief. It was comforting to see a familiar face even though it was the face of von Karma. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"I can ask you the same thing, Miss. Fey."

"I-I decided to take a walk," she lied quickly.

"Oh really?" Franziska did not appear to be convinced with that statement. With a cocky smirk, she sarcastically replied, "I believe you. I'm sure that lawyer boyfriend of yours would allow such a thing to happen in the middle of the night."

Maya could feel her face flushing and she suddenly wanted to embrace and kiss the darkness for keeping her red cheeks hidden from view. "First of all, Nick is NOT my boyfriend! Second of all, what is wrong with taking a stroll in the middle of the night by myself? Aren't you doing the same thing?" Maya knew she was being quite defensive, but she could not help it. She was still furious with Nick for the way he treated her earlier, but there was no way she was going to let Franziska know that was the reason she was in the streets by herself feeling cold and hungry.

"Actually, unlike you, I'm not wandering around aimlessly. I actually have a destination in mind," Franziska replied coolly. She cast a condescending glance before walking past the stranded spirit medium. "Well then, I don't want to interrupt you on your evening stroll. I'll see you in the courtroom in two days."

Maya helplessly watched the only familiar figure she was in the presence of walk away. She felt her newfound security and comfort slipping away as well with each passing second. Inside, she was screaming for Franziska to come back so she did not have to wander aimlessly by herself in the middle of a cold foggy night. The only thing that was stopping her was her pride. Maya was mentally battling against herself to summon up the courage to ask Franziska to keep her company. But, there was no way she was going to tell her that Phoenix was the reason why she was out here by herself.

"W-wait!!' the spirit medium yelled. "Franziska! Hold on!"

The prosecutor raised a brow and turned half way around to find Maya running up to her. "What do you want, Miss. Fey?"

"Um…I was wondering if I could hang around you this evening?" Maya let out a small nervous chuckle.

"Me…?" Franziska was taken back by her question. "Just what are you up to? Did Phoenix send you out here so you can spy on me or something?"

"No!" I swear!! Look, I was just wondering if we could spend some quality girl time together," Maya replied sweetly with a bright smile. She wrung her hands together behind her back nervously as she waited for the older woman's response. _Please please pleseeee don't leave me here by myself!!_

Franziska knew she always had a fine intuition, and her intuition right now was telling her that Maya Fey indeed had no motive. However, she did smell fear from the spirit medium and that made her chuckle out loud. "Admit it, Maya. You're afraid of being out here by yourself." Franziska was having a thrill poking fun at the younger woman and watching her writhe uncomfortably. This was possibly the sweetest revenge she could obtain at this very moment for all the times the spirit medium felt smug when she was around Phoenix. This was payback for the confidence she always had in her lawyer. "Heh, I work and travel alone, but I could use some company tonight…but you're gonna have to admit that you're not just out here for 'an evening stroll.' "

Maya gritted her teeth. She was seriously reconsidering tagging along with Franziska, but she did not want to make another foolish decision by letting her pent up anger cloud her reason and judgment. She released her quivering fist and sighed in exasperation. "Fine, you win von Karma. The truth is that I need some company. I left Nick's law office because I'm angry with him. And…now I'm lost out here in the middle of nowhere so it's good to see someone I recognize, even if it's you."

"Hm, now that wasn't so bad now, was it?" Franziska sneered before walking down the dark road again with a not so pleasant Maya beside her.

"Whatever." The spirit medium rolled her eyes. "Where are we going to anyway?"

"To a bar," the prosecutor answered curtly.

"Bar? Why are we going to a bar?"

Franziska shrugged. "Well, I like drinking to help me relax before I start cracking on my case. Besides, I can always use a fine drink."

"Can you even get into the bar?" Maya asked out loud by reflex. _She's almost my age…how the heck does she get into bars?_

The prosecutor scoffed. "Yes, we may be almost the same age, but rest assure that I don't look like a little loli. Also, I got a few connections here and there. You'd be surprise at the foolish things men would do for a beautiful face."

"LOLI?" Maya protested angrily. She could not believe the audacity of the woman next to her. Maya had a sudden urge to rip the prosecutor's whip from her belt buckle and give her a good lashing. "Grr…von Karma! You better take that back!!"

"Make me," Franziska challenged as she quickened her speed. Her heels tapped boldly against the misty pavement as she worked her way through the dark streets with a fuming Maya trailing annoyingly behind her. To spite the younger woman even more, Franziska snugly wrapped her coat tighter against her chest and snickered amusingly at the sight of Maya trying to keep her sweater intact as a strong gust of wind hit them. _This is going to be a long but entertaining night… _Franziska thought as she continued to hug the flaps of her coat against herself, sighing in content at the warmth enveloping her.

--

"I'm sorry pal, but we don't have any leads on Maya." Gumshoe bowed his head in both shame and as a gesture for condolence. "We have cops searching various streets but we just can't seem to track her down."

"Damn!" Phoenix slammed his hand roughly against the tabletop, sending loose sheets of papers and important documents in all directions. He really didn't care about his work at all, all he cared about was finding Maya and making sure she was all right.

"You really didn't see where she'd run off to?"

"No…she just stormed out and I didn't catch up to her in time," Phoenix admitted with a sigh. He cast an empty look at the window and watched the remnant of the rainstorm cascade down his panes. _At least the storm stopped…_

"Well, don't get discouraged pal. We're still looking." Gumshoe placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder and waited for a response in the uncomforting silence looming in the small office.

"I guess I have no choice. I'm gonna head out there myself and look for her," Phoenix said suddenly. He walked to his coat rack and grabbed his traditional blue suit jacket.

"Wait! But you don't have any leads. Wouldn't it be better if we just wait for responses from the cops that are already searching for her?" Gumshoe objected.

Phoenix shook his head swiftly, but his wild black spikes remained perfectly still. "You can't talk me out of it, Gumshoe. It's my fault anyway so I'm going to go look for her. But, I need you to do me a big favor. Pearls is in the other room, and I need you to watch her for me. Please…"

Gumshoe couldn't believe that he had just been given a babysitting order. He was a detective for God's sake, not a babysitter. But, even in the dark he could see Phoenix's eyes shine with an unwavering determination and he knew immediately that Phoenix's resolve to find Maya was as firm as his spikes. "Don't worry about a thing. I got this covered for you," Gumshoe grumbled. "You owe me for this big time, Wright!"

"Thank you, Gumshoe! Just give me a call if you hear anything." With that, Phoenix sprung out the door faster than his heart beating against his chest that was fueled by the adrenaline rush coursing through his body. _I have no idea where I should even start looking, but I should start somewhere. _

Picking a random street corner, Phoenix dashed into the darkness with only one thought in mind: Maya.

--

To be continued…

--

A/N: Hey guys, I apologize immensely for taking so much time to write another chapter. I was extremely busy with school and over the break, but I started playing Trials and Tribulations recently and it reminded me that I had a fanfic to finish! I hope you guys are doing well and I wish you all a happy new year! Thanks so much for reading! And, if you can, please leave a review. It really helps a lot! Thank you!


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